Holiday home Kuća Skala

While Novigrad was once a fortress with a pro­tected harbour, today the small coastal town hidden in a sea fjord looks as if it has fallen out of time. The Kuća Skala holiday house is located in the listed centre of the town and is another project by artist and designer Boris Kajmak, which takes up the history and building tra­dition of the local context and makes it tan­gible in terms of design and atmo­sphere. Built in the 1930s, it is one of the younger stone houses in Novigrad. After the turmoil of war, the narrow building stood empty for a long time from the 1990s onwards and can now con­tinue to share its story as a holiday home.

In a nod to the old town, which is cha­rac­te­rized by countless steps, the staircase also plays the leading role in Kuća Skala. The interior of the gutted building appears like a ver­tical loft that extends over four open levels. The sculp­tural staircase made of black steel not only func­tions as a con­necting element, but also becomes a ver­satile living space — whether as a con­vivial seating area, shelf or con­tem­plative refuge.

You enter the Kuća via the kitchen with a small dining table, fire­place and wooden kitchen block — the com­mu­ni­cative level. One floor up, washing and grooming takes place — from the pan­o­ramic bathroom with spa­cious shower to the storage room with washing machine. The third level is dedi­cated to sleeping. If required, the high bed not only magi­cally con­jures up another place to sleep, but also a closet and drawers. On the top floor, the record player and a sel­ected vinyl coll­ection provide some musical vibes, while the small roof terrace offers a view of the neigh­bouring clock tower and the little town.

The entire interior, planned and hand-made by Boris Kajmak, is as simple as it is special and allows the old stone walls and his­to­rical ele­ments to take centre stage. The rest is reduced to the essen­tials and pro­vides guests with freedom — both in terms of space and crea­tivity. The colour concept is also res­trained and focuses on black and white. Com­bined with light wood and a few recurring colour accents, such as the green ref­ri­ge­rator or the purple music and sofa bed. In between, you’ll find unusual and inge­nious details, such as the staircase sculpture, the bed fur­niture or the cables and pipes laid on plaster, which thus turn into (art) instal­la­tions.

Despite its location in the middle of the narrow alleys, Kuća Skala even has its own outdoor seating area right next to the clock tower in addition to the tra­di­tional stone bench: a small pavilion terrace made of larch wood that almost resembles a magical cube. Here you can enjoy a glass of wine while wat­ching the pace of the town, where the clocks luckily tick a little slower.

Pho­to­graphy by Tom de Gay

What to do

Swimming, hiking in the Nature Park Velebit, cycling, kayaking, fishing, discovering the record collection, shopping at the market directly below the terrace, a visit to the small cafés, bars and restaurants with regional dishes or a trip to Zadar (30 km) with the Sea Organ designed by architect Nikola Bašić

Why we like this house

A loft house that has been thought out down to the last detail and whose creative approach not only connects all floors, but also the past with the present. A hand-made work of art!

This house is great for

Couples, single travelers and small families; since there are 3 houses of the Kuća project in Novigrad in the immediate vicinity, it is also ideal for a vacation of friends or families who like to travel together but want their privacy to live; Kuća Skala is not suitable for people with limited mobility due to the many stairs.

Sustainability

Public transport: There are several bus connections a day to Zadar, the most important city in the region.

Owner

Boris Kajmak is a Croatian interdisciplinary artist and designer who combines artistic thinking and architecture. His creative process begins with the end product: the use of the space. During the renovation, intangible elements such as sounds, smells and light define the structure.
Based on his conceptual approach, he has created sculptures, design and architectural works that have been exhibited internationally since 1999. After studying printmaking at the Academy of Fine Arts, University of Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina) in 2004, he obtained an additional MA at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in 2005, London (UK). Boris Kajmak currently lives and works between Munich and Novigrad.

Details

Availability calendar

The calendar shows the current availability of the accommodation. On days with white background the accommodation is still available. On days with dark gray background the accommodation is not available.

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